Ice jams create winter flood hazard
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SPOTLIGHT
$1.10 Includes TAX
The Similkameen
Volume 65 Issue 02
Wednesday, January 14, 2014
Proudly serving the community since 1948 • www.similkameenspotlight.com
We acknowledge the financial support of the Government of Canada through the Canada Periodical Fund of the Department of Canadian Heritage.
Deer cull group backs off lethal options
Bob Marsh
These deer, who frequent Kenley Street in Princeton, should have a greater chance of survival now that non-lethal options for population reduction are being explored by the town’s new deer lobby group. Andrea DeMeer Spotlight Staff
A group originally formed to lobby for a Princeton deer cull has organized, re-branded itself and is promising to seek non lethal solutions to the solve the town’s deer problems. “We’ve taking killing, a cull, off the table,” said Gino Del-ciotto, organizer of the newly struck Princeton PRO, Deer Population Reduction Organization. “We had a meeting and discussed the feeling that’s been generated in the town. We’ve been at this for three months now….and that has given us a really good read on how people out there feel.” Del-ciotto founded a pro-deer cull
FaceBook group in the fall and in recent weeks others in the community launched a deer protection group. “It was extremely hard to watch the community divide itself,” said Del-ciotto. The Deer Population Reduction Organization plans to pursue a multi-pronged strategy to control the town’s deer including lobbying for permission to haze – harass and discourage the deer using dogs and perhaps paintball guns. “It’s in the best interests of the group to pursue these avenues as they are more ethical and easier on the deer and easier on the collective consciousness of the town,” said Del-
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ciotto. “It will eliminate a lot of the infighting and allow us to focus on the issues.” Mayor Frank Armitage expressed relief at the development. “This is nice to see a positive outcome to what looked like it was a dispute initially,” Armitage told the Spotlight. Armitage said he is happy the group has backed off its calls for a lethal deer cull. “I admire them for realizing that they’ve heard that from the community,” he said. “Certainly everything will have to be done as per government regulations and that involves the conservation branch and I’m just pleased that they are getting organized. They have a common pursuit. They want to control the deer
and that’s very laudable.” All members of council, as well as organizers of the deer protection group, have been invited to an upcoming meeting of the Deer Population Reduction Organization and Armitage said he will attend along with council’s deer committee members Doug Pateman and Rosemary Doughty. Del-ciotto said it’s crucial the group has the Town of Princeton onside. “We want city council to work alongside us to forge an entire new way to deal with urban deer problems,” said Del-ciotto. In addition to hazing, Del-ciotto said continued page six
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